The Decameron (1971)

Formed in 1968 in Gloucestershire by Johnny Coppin (Guitar, Vocals) and Dave Bell (Guitar, Vocals), by 1971 the band evolved into a quartet with the arrival of Al Fenn on Lead Guitar and Mandolin and Geoff March on Violin and Cello. The group originally signed to Vertigo Records in 1973 and recorded their debut album for the label that year. By 1974 the band’s line-up had changed with Al Fenn departing and Dik Cadbury joining the group on Lead and 12-string acoustic guitar and bass. Geoff March incorporated Keyboards into his repertoire and the band signed to Mooncrest Records to record the album "Mammoth Special", which showed a turn towards more introspective and progressive material that was to define their sound for the remaining years of their all too brief existence.

Decameron produced four albums between 1973 and 1976 (Some discographies listed a recording called "Beyond the Light" but this never saw release). This long CD contains all of the third disk and a most of the worthiest pieces on the fourth. Considering their short recording career, Decameron exhibited a fairly wide range of musical styles and talent as they flitted from label to label. But it was all loosely in the British folk rock realm with more than a casual nod to the lighter elements of progressive rock in vogue at the time. The enigmatic style of that genre is displayed in the stunning "All the Best Wishes", the reverent "The Ungodly", the intensely melodic "Journey's End" bathed in mellotron, and "The Deal". The lighter pieces are equally engaging, such as "Saturday" about rolling down the windows and blasting the stereo and shouting obscenities at the market crowd, "Road to the Sea" with its rollicking rhythms and musical and lyrical allusions to the nautical, "Fallen Over", and "Tomorrow's pantomime".

Esoteric Recordings are pleased to announce a new official CD release of the album "Say Hello To The Band” by the British Progressive/Folk-Rock group Decameron. Formed in 1968 in Gloucestershire by John Coppin (Guitar, Vocals) and Dave Bell (Guitar, Vocals), by 1971 the band evolved into a quartet with the arrival of Al Fenn on Lead Guitar and Mandolin and Geoff March on Violin and Cello. The group signed to Vertigo records in 1973 and recorded their debut album with notable guests such as Timi Donald on Drums and B.J. Cole on Dobro. A unique fusion of Folk and Progressive influences, "Say Hello To The Band” has long been sought by collectors as a vinyl artefact. This new CD edition is re-mastered from the original tapes and adds both sides of Decameron’s first single as bonus tracks. This Esoteric Recordings reissue includes a booklet that fully restores all original album artwork and features a new essay.

Universal will issue a seven-CD Fairport Convention box set in July that features ‘key album tracks’, non-album singles, radio sessions and previously unreleased live recordings from all of the classic line-ups. This collection celebrates Fairport’s first 10 years, beginning with their eponymous debut for Polydor in 1968, through all of their albums for Island Records and finishing with tracks from their two albums for Vertigo, The Bonny Bunch of Roses and Tippers Tales.